By Neto Baptiste
Speaking publicly for the first time as to why she resigned as president of the Antigua and Barbuda Drag Racing Association (ABDRA) in 2017, Lisa Abraham said she had no choice but to leave the post after the body’s membership boycotted that year’s awards in an attempt to force her out of the organisation.
“The first year [an individual] got a scholarship that one of our sponsors paid for, and the next awards, the racers decided they were going to boycott [the awards] thinking they wanted to teach me a lesson because it is time for me to move. They taught me a lesson but they also disrespected the office of the government who attends these awards and sets the mandate for these awards. They also disrespected the sponsors that pay for our events … pay prize monies, give trophies, and they also pay for the same awards. But I guess they never thought about that so when I saw them take their stand I just tendered my resignation,” she said.
Known as a straight talker, Abraham tendered her resignation during the 2017 awards, shocking those in attendance.
The drag racer, while speaking on the Good Morning Jojo Sports Show, said she came under attack by the very same people she represented.
“Guess what? I am a girl and I talk to the guys like guys, so we have problems there and they tell me I have to remember that I am a woman ‘and you can’t talk to men so’, and I just wanted to know what kind of a story is that. They called me from one B to the next B and they said I had to be sleeping with the ministers to get all the things I was getting done and these are the same people I am representing who are saying these things,” Abraham said.
“I will sit here today and clear all of the ministers’ names, from the prime minister come all the way down to the bottom — none of them from none of the governments have ever been disrespectful; none of them,” she added. The vice president, Yousef Michael, assumed the role of president following Abraham’s resignation and was later elected permanently in the position. Late last year, Michael stepped away from the post, after which Gene Mason was elected as ABDRA’s new leader.